Divorced! Now what?
Chapter 91

Bethany

healing.

POV

When I woke up this morning, Theo was already up and dressed. I was disappointed that I still needed so much sleep, but Hank kept saying the body needs sleep and rest to heal. I get that, but it is easier to tell patients to rest and heal than to be the one doing the As of today, Kitty won't be in to help me bathe. Theo had been doing it for the last two days, as Kitty could not come in. I seem to have gotten over the shyness of him seeing my body, maybe because the bruising, bandage, and cast were gone, or perhaps I am comfortable around Theo, and like how gentle and caring he is; his eyes take all of me in. He makes me feel special and wanted as he tends to my needs. I am no longer embarrassed that I need his help to do things and have accepted that if I need to do things, sometimes I need help. I won't be this way forever, and Theo wants to be the one to assist me. He was very persuasive, and he wore me down. Not that I minded too much, but I felt I needed to try by myself, to see how well I was healing and testing my weakness. Ultimately, I realized how stupid that was and let Theo in.

I sat up in bed and looked around. Theo had been busy hanging sports flags and other stuff up around the private room. It was a lovely surprise and the room was starting to look like our usual sports day arrangement. He must have got all of this from home, our home. I have to keep reminding myself about that.

Hank said it is common to have significant gaps in my memory. I am trying to remember big chunks in a five-year gap. I remember becoming a doctor and specializing in heart surgery, but I remember next to nothing of what my twin did in college, what she does as a living, or if she is even married with kids. Yet I now remember my brother is married and has a wife with a baby on the way, as well as a male wife. I am happy for them. I have always loved my brother and his quirky ways, and I vaguely remember the man he has as his wife; I am not sure about the dynamics of that, and personally, I don't want to dig into it; I am just happy he is happy, and to me, that is all that matters, how they live behind closed doors is their business and no one else.

'Good morning.' Theo greets me from across the room, taking me out of my thoughts.

'Hi. I replied as I climbed off the bed and stood up. I can manage a few steps on my own now, and Theo has brought in a walker that Kitty suggested, so I am using it to get around, as much as I don't want to use it, to go to the bathroom on my own. So I need to be independent, though I still need help in the shower, my arms won't raise above my head, and I am still getting dizzy, so it is not safe on my own. As I headed to the bathroom, I saw Theo hovering nearby. He was not happy that I agreed to use this instead of using him as support. I think he liked any excuse to hold me, and it is nice being in his arms, but I have to do this eventually as we do it now, and if I am too tired to use it, I promise to ask him.

When I came out of the bathroom, Theo had finished decorating the room, set up the table before the television with all the sports paperwork, and brought out coffee and breakfast. He was standing by a chair waiting for me to sit down. His eyes roamed my body from head to toe, taking me in, and his eyes twinkling with joy. I think seeing me moving around like this shows my progress in healing, and has made him happier than he would have been when I agreed to use it.

Dad arrived not long after we had eaten, and Theo had cleared away the dishes. The television was on, and the announcer was talking about a game I was not interested in. Well, I will be when our team is to play them, but knowing who is in or out of a game I am not going to be watching was too much for me to take in at the moment. My brain, as fuzzy as it is, can only process so much at one time.

He held me close to him, kissing my head and letting me know how much he loved me. The accident really scared Dad. I must have been close to death to scare him this much. In some ways, I am glad I don't remember it all yet. If it hurt Dad this much, it had to be bad. The smell of the pies had my mouth watering, even though we had just finished eating; for some reason, just the smell was enough for me to want to eat one, and not because I was hungry or could even fit one in.

We replace a place to sit and get comfortable, and just before the game starts, Hank arrives with some beer and a snack and quickly takes a seat. The game was close, and we all screamed at the screen. At half-time, we ate the pies I had been salivating about, and I had a coffee while the men drank the beer. I was still on medication, so beer was out of the question, and with my fuzzy head, it was too dangerous.

Sometime during the game, a memory came to me. We were in a place I did not recognize, and our team won. I was jumping around, extremely happy, and we won the finals, and then I remembered that Theo and Hank were there. The place looked really good. We went up the stairs, and there was a party; Kitty was there, and I do not remember others yet. But it was a good party, and I left to take Dad home. I felt then how much I cared for Theo, and tears started to roll down my cheeks. The television blared as we scored, and the others all cheered, but I was too lost in this memory to notice that I had missed the goal.

Theo noticed first and was at my side in an instant, pulling me into his arms and whispering loving words in my ear. I now remembered he was my man. How we came together is still a mystery, but I remember we lived together and were happy and a good team, both working at this hospital and early in our relationship.

'Hey, what's wrong?' Dad asked softly. Theo had moved back a little so Dad and Hank could look at me, but they did not let me go.

'I remember that I am Theo's girlfriend! I hiccuped through my tears. The smile on all three faces was priceless. Theo was the first to react. He pulled my face to look at me, searched my face for something, and then leaned down and gave me a gently soft kiss. It was gentle and tender, his lips soft and moist. He pulled back to look at me with such love and care that I nearly started to cry again.

'Welcome back! He said and peppered my face and lips with little kisses; the screen screamed out 'score,' and we pulled apart to look at the screen and the three men cheered while I looked at Theo with awe and how lucky I had found such a loving man. I hope we can build a good relationship.

Something was nagging in the back of my mind, telling me I had been hurt before and to tread lightly, but everything about Theo seemed genuine and caring, and how he had looked after me since I woke up only proved to me that he was the real deal, and I should learn to trust him more.